No Ability On Disability

I wrote previously on "Does The Government Have The Ability To Manage Disability?".  Further evidence that it does not is contained in this Wall Street Journal article about a disability claim judge in West Virginia who almost never says no. 

Americans seeking Social Security disability benefits will often appeal to one of 1,500 judges who help administer the program, where the odds of winning are slightly better than even. Unless, that is, they come in front of David B. Daugherty.

The Herald-Dispatch

Judge David B. Daugherty

In the fiscal year that ended in September, the administrative law judge, who sits in the impoverished intersection of West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio, decided 1,284 cases and awarded benefits in all but four. For the first six months of fiscal 2011, Mr. Daugherty approved payments in every one of his 729 decisions, according to the Social Security Administration.

The judge has maintained his near-perfect record despite years of complaints from other judges and staff members. They say he awards benefits too generously and takes cases from other judges without their permission.

This week the Chief Social Security Judge in Huntington, WV who supervises the office where Daugherty is based announced he was stepping down from his post in the wake of the Wall Street Journal article.

In written responses to questions for that article, Mr. Andrus said he was notified on four occasions that Mr. Daugherty had either taken cases assigned to other judges or taken unassigned cases. He issued a written directive April 29 saying the practice must end.
Several people, including former Huntington judge Dan Kemper, said Mr. Andrus and others failed to act earlier because Mr. Daugherty helped the office meet monthly goals.
In his written responses, Mr. Andrus said that "as a supervisor I don't ask judges why they decide cases the way they do. (emphasis added by BeeLine)" In Mr. Daugherty's case, he said, "I believe the numbers speak for themselves."

Does the Government have the ability to manage disability?  I think that is pretty clear.  Case closed on that one.